Navigation Point

Comments

Buoy 1

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 2

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 3

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 4

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 5

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 6

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 7

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 8

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 10

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 12

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 13

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 14

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 15

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 16

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 17

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 18

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 19

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 20

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 21

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 22

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 24

Red navigation buoy.

Buoy 25

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 27

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 29

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 31

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 33

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 35

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 37

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 39

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 41

Green navigation buoy.

Buoy 45

Green navigation buoy.

Cockwood Harbour Bridge

Only easily accessible at mid-tide or higher. Kayaks can be tied off by the bridge if insufficient water available to get to the main slipway.
Good pub overlooking the harbour.
Parking very limited.

Cockwood Tunnel and Slip

The northern slipway is only accessible during spring tides.
No easy local parking available but dropping off or picking up would be possible.

Cockwood Steps

Impossible to launch or recover a boat from, but a nice place for a rest and to watch the trains go by.
Not suitable for children due to the unguarded high speed rail lines.

Collier Wreck

This wreck features some very sharp rusting metal edges so care is essential if tracking between the bow and stern sections.
A small sandy beach is exposed by the stern at low tide.

Exe Sailing Club

Access to the slipway is limited to members only. Better to use one of the other local slipways if in doubt.

Exmouth Belshers Slip

A good slipway to launch from at all states of the tide and more protected than Mamhead Slip.
Parking in this area is all controlled by a private clamping company - you have been warned!

Exmouth Camperdown Slip

This is a privately owned slipway so there is no motor vehicle access available. There is parking nearby but it is very limited and some is controlled by a private clamping company so observe the signs carefully. There is a pay and display carpark at the junction of Langerwehe Way and Camperdown Terrace if in doubt.

Exmouth Carlton Hill Slip

A long sandy beach leads to this concrete slip.
Pay and display parking is available in this area.
Beware the strong currents on the beach in this area.

Exmouth Coastwatch Tower

The home of Exmouth Coastwatch - a voluntary organisation who monitor the local waters.
The tower is a useful visual reference.

Exmouth Gut Head Slip

This is the top end of a muddy creek that is accessible only at the top end of the tide.
It is close to the pay and display car park at the junction of Langerwehe Way and Camperdown Terrace.
There is a family of kingfishers who can be seen in the gut if the conditions are good.

Exmouth ILB Slip

A sandy beach leads to this concrete slip which is primarily used by Exmouth's Inshore Lifeboat and Exmouth Rowing Club.
Pay and display parking is available in this area.
Beware the strong currents on the beach in this area.
Do not park on the slip at any time in case access is required by the lifeboat.

Exmouth Lifeboat Station

This is the new lifeboat station for Exmouth.
The slipway can be used to recover kayaks or boards but they must not be left on the slip in case the lifeboat is called out.

Exmouth Mamhead Slip

A concrete slipway that leads straight into the sea.
Slippery at lower stages of the tide.
Can be very busy with boats and jetskis launching and recovering.
Tidal flow in this area can be very strong with confused currents so care is required.
Slipway is not usable at low spring tides.
The Beach pub by the top of the slipway is excellent.
Peter Dixon Chandlery is located behind The Beach pub and is well stocked.
The newsagents on the dock also sells good fishing bait.

Exmouth Orcombe Point Slip

A long sandy beach leads to this concrete slip.
Pay and display parking is available in this area.
A relatively sheltered area for beginners or younger paddlers to enjoy.
Board and kayak rental is available at the top of this slipway and operated by Waterfront Sports.

Exmouth Rec Slip

Only really useful at the top end of the tide.
The shallow "Duck Pond" area is very popular with windsurfers, kite surfers and paddle boarders due to the relatively shallow water.
Plenty of pay and display parking available nearby.

Fairway Buoy

A red and white buoy that marks the beginning of the deep water channel into the Exe. The swell and currents in this area can be challenging, especially over the sand banks either side of the deep water channel.

Fishing Boat Wreck

A small fishing boat that has been there for some time.
The structure is covered in barnacles and rust so care is needed.

Gas Pipeline Buoy

A yellow marker buoy showing the line of the gas pipeline that runs below the Exe. Look for the markers on each bank for further route guidance. No anchoring is permitted near this corridor.

Gas Pipeline Marker

A yellow marker post showing the line of the gas pipeline that runs below the Exe. Look for the markers on each bank for further route guidance. No anchoring is permitted near this corridor.

Lympstone Beach

Only really useful at high tide and very muddy at low tide.
Good pubs available at the top of the slipway.
Parking limited.

Lympstone Belvedere Beach

This beach is accessible only by footpath from Lympstone.
It is gravelly and useful for little more than a rest.

Lympstone Courtlands Slip

This slipway is located south of Lympstone village.
No parking available so only really useful for picking up or dropping off.
Several benches available at the top of the slipway for a rest with a good view.
Only accessible easily during the top half of the tide.

Lympstone Port

This small harbour is only accessible at the top end of the tide but is extremely sheltered.
Very muddy at the lower end of the tide.

Powderham Beach

The approach to this beach is dominated by thick mud and access under the railway bridge is tricky and less than 1 metre high.
Only worth considering as a high tide emergency recovery point.

Powderham Railway Steps

Impossible to launch or recover a boat from, but a nice place for a rest and to watch the trains go by.
Not suitable for children due to the unguarded high speed rail lines.

Starcross Fishing & Crusing Club

Only accessible at the top end of the tide.
The slip is privately owned and should not be regarded as a viable launch and recovery point.

Starcross Northern Slip

An unpleasant slipway that is accesible only towards high tide.
May be useful for landing and going to the convenience store nearby for provisions, otherwise best avoided.

Starcross Northern Steps

Not usable for launch or recovery but potentially handy for a rest with a view across the estuary.

Starcross Southern Slip

An unusual slipway that is accessed under the rail and road bridges.
Narrow access that is limited at low tide.
The access is narrow and 4+ metre kayaks will not be able to easily turn.
The access is via Generals Lane but parking restrictions there are unknown.

Starcross Yacht Club

A privately owned slipway but easily identifiable from the river.
Only really viable as an emergency recovery location.
Permission to recover a kayak from there should be sought from the Club out of courtesy.

Topsham Ferry Slip

This is the launching ramp for the small passenger ferry to the canal towpath.
Access via this slipway cannot be assumed and the ferryman's permission should be sought. That said, he is generally very amenable and will keep half an eye on your boats if asked.
The Passage is an excellent pub and does a very good breakfast on weekend mornings.

Topsham Lock

A now-redundant lock on the Exeter Canal.

Topsham Lock Steps

This slipway can be used to access the canal but permission may be required for this.

Turf Jetty

Probably the easiest place to launch and recover from at Turf Lock, but still very awkward due to the height of the jetty.
At high tide there is a beach closer to the pub itself but this is very muddy as the tide drops.
The narrow gangway to the jetty makes getting a boat to and from the canal difficult unless you have a light boat or there are two of you.
The Turf Lock pub makes it worth it though, and there are often barbeques running on the weekend.
Note that the Turf Lock is generally closed during the winter.

Turf Lock

This is the lock at the entrance to the Exeter Canal.
Note that they are not keen on smaller craft using the lock so the jetty is where you'll probably end up.

Motorway Bridge

The lowest bridging point on the Exe and the point at which navigation becomes tricky at all but high tide.

Topsham Church Steps Slip

A small, uneven slipway that is very slippery as the tide goes out. Of limited use but may find favour with kayakers who will value the opportunity to run up the stairs and across the churchyard to grab a snack from the town. The butcher opposite the Post Office does some very good pies if anyone’s asking…

Topsham Rec Slip

This small slipway is tucked away amongst a row of riverside trees and is a good place from which to launch at the top of the tide for an easy ride down to Exmouth. The access is at the point where Ashford Road meets Ferry Road but be aware that parking is limited in this area.

Topsham Sailing Club

A privately owned slipway and only really viable as an emergency recovery location given the number of other slipways locally.
Permission to recover any boat from there should be sought from the Club out of courtesy.

Topsham Strand Slip

This small hard surfaced slipway is tucked away off The Strand but offers a hard surfaced launching ramp at most states of the tide (though it will be slippery as the tide drops). There is very little parking locally but it is identifiable from The Strand by the red telephone box at the head of the slipway.

Topsham Retreat Boatyard

With a high pontoon and a steep, gated slipway, this location is probably of very little use to most water users (most boats are craned in to the river from the boatyard.
That said, there is an excellent chandlery there that may prove useful.